Ex-NYC Mayor Ed Koch: Will back Obama re-election

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch says President Barack Obama's speech to the United Nations opposing the Palestinians' bid for statehood has satisfied his concerns and he'll now support his re-election.

In an interview with The New York Times ( http://nyti.ms/oGcTqv) published Wednesday, Koch said that whatever rift existed between them is "gone."

The Democratic ex-mayor says he will tell Jewish voters that Obama deserves their vote.

The Times says Koch announced his change of heart in a weekly email to supporters.

In the message, he says Obama deserves praise for intervening to protect Israeli diplomats in Cairo and for providing Israel with military equipment and cooperation "far exceeding his predecessors."